This disclosure relates generally to training systems and methods and more particularly to a tool for generating software cards that summarize and index information.
Traditional training systems and methods are useful in training field service personnel and operators of complex machinery such as medical imaging scanners. Typically, designers of the scanners prepare training material for training the field service personnel and operators. Training instructors will supplement the material generated by the designers with information produced from a variety of other sources such as engineering, marketing, manufacturing and service departments. Not all of the information provided by these sources is relevant for training purposes. Therefore, each training instructor will manually review all of the material and select various paragraphs, sections or chapters and use them in their training material. In addition, each training instructor will supplement the selected paragraphs, sections and chapters with their own material and insights. Each training instructor then compiles all of their material into a set of structured training modules, which are presented to a group of field service personnel and operators.
Each training instructor that participates in this type of training method faces a challenge with respect to information integration. In particular, for identical or closely related modules, it is likely that each training instructor will have to locate the same material. Since each training instructor has his or her own teaching style, the modules will differ for each instructor because of their selected paragraphs, sections, chapters and notes. Therefore, each training instructor has to create a module that is specific to his or her teaching style. The process of creating materials and class notes for a training module is time consuming and slow. This process is complicated further because the training modules have to be continually updated for new classes and any changes made to equipment documentation.
Tailoring to the needs of the field service personnel and operators is another challenge facing each training instructor. This challenge arises because people (e.g., training instructors and document authors) who are not familiar with the constraints imposed on the field service personnel and operators create a majority of the training material. In addition, typically, only a small portion of information in any one of the various sources of training material is of interest to a specific group of field service personnel and operators. Also, since the training needs of any group of field service personnel and operators is diverse and changing with time, any attempts to create a single structured training course material for an entire training class will involve many compromises.
Therefore, there is a need for an innovative approach that will allow a training instructor to easily and rapidly locate and gather training materials for a training course. Also, this approach should allow field service personnel and equipment operators to easily access training material that is tailored to a specific training goal or a task that is to be completed in the field.
In one embodiment of this disclosure, there is a system, method and computer readable medium that stores instructions for instructing a computer system, to generate a plurality of software cards from information contained in a plurality of documentation. In this embodiment, a documentation storage unit stores the plurality of documentation. A software card generator generates each of the plurality of software cards for a predetermined card category. Each software card points to blocks of information stored in the documentation storage unit that relate to the predetermined card category. A software card database stores the generated plurality of software cards.
In a second embodiment of this disclosure, there is a system, method and computer readable medium that stores instructions for instructing a computer system, to manage a plurality of documentation. In this embodiment, a documentation storage unit stores the plurality of documentation. A software card database stores a plurality of software cards. Each software card points to blocks of information stored in the documentation storage unit that relate to a predetermined card category. A software card application structures the plurality of documentation stored in the documentation storage unit in accordance with the plurality of software cards stored in the software card database. A first computing unit is configured to execute the software card application.
In another embodiment, there is a system, method and computer readable medium that stores instructions for instructing a computer system, to manage a plurality of documentation. In this embodiment, a documentation storage unit stores the plurality of documentation. A software card database stores a plurality of software cards. Each software card points to blocks of information stored in the documentation storage unit that relate to a predetermined card category. A software card application structures the plurality of documentation stored in the documentation storage unit in accordance with the plurality of software cards stored in the software card database. A first computing unit is configured to execute the software card application. A second computing unit is configured to serve the documentation storage unit, the software card database, and the software card application to the first computing unit over a network.
In a further embodiment, there is a method for structuring information contained in a plurality of documentation into a plurality of software cards to facilitate training of personnel in servicing a machine. In this embodiment, a plurality of documentation that relate to at least one of training the personnel and servicing the machine is stored. Each of the plurality of software cards for a predetermined card category that relate to the at least one of training personnel and servicing of the machine is generated. Each software card points to blocks of information in the stored plurality of documentation that relate to the predetermined card category. The generated plurality of software cards are then stored. The plurality of stored software cards are queried to facilitate the training of the personnel. Previously saved queries and results are viewed to facilitate the training of the personnel. The blocks of information pointed to by each of the plurality of software cards are viewed to facilitate the training of the personnel.
In another embodiment, there is a method for displaying a plurality of software cards used to structure information contained in a plurality of documentation. In this embodiment, a screen view is displayed for generating each of the plurality of software cards for a predetermined card category. Each software card points to blocks of information in the plurality of documentation that relate to the predetermined card category. Also, a screen view is displayed for storing the plurality of generated software cards. Another screen view that is displayed is a view for querying the plurality of stored software cards. A further screen that is displayed is a view for viewing previously saved queries and results. Another screen view that is displayed is a view for viewing the blocks of information pointed to by each of the plurality of software cards.
An additional embodiment recites a computer-readable medium containing a collection of information for structuring a plurality of documentation. In this embodiment, there is a block table containing a plurality of fields for describing blocks of information in the plurality of documentation. A software card table contains a plurality of fields describing the information content of a block in the form of a software card. Also, a query table contains a plurality of fields describing previously saved queries. In addition, a view table contains a plurality of fields for viewing the blocks of information in the plurality of documentation.